Eli Manning

Eli Manning is underrated right off the bat, just for being a Manning.

Eli's brother Peyton will go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, putting Eli on the back burner. However, many say Eli is creeping up on Peyton.

Peyton may have the accolades, but Eli has proved to be better when it counts. Eli now has an 8-3 playoff record for his career and defeated the great Tom Brady in Super Bowl XLVI to win his second title.

Eli Manning was scrutinized for saying he was an elite quarterback, but clearly he is and is highly underrated.

Jordy Nelson

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Jordy Nelson could easily be the most underrated receiver in the NFL.

When does Nelson's name come up as one of the top receivers in the league? Never.

However, Nelson's yardage ranked ninth and his touchdown totals ranked third in the NFL during the 2011 season. Those numbers should be eye-popping to viewers and make Nelson one of the best receivers in all of football.

Nelson doesn't get the recognition he deserves, and his name is rarely brought up as one of the best players on his own team, making him one of the most underrated athletes in all of sports.

Ty Lawson

The Denver Nuggets received an absolute steal by acquiring Ty Lawson in the 2009 draft.

Lawson can both pass and shoot as a point guard with multiple weapons. Shooting isn't the first skill that you think about with Lawson, but he shot a solid 36.5 percent from long range in 2011-12.

The little man, listed at only 5'11", plays his best when it counts the most. Lawson gave everything he could against the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2012 playoffs by averaging 19 points and six assists per game.

Lawson has multiple talents as a point guard yet never gets recognized enough, making him an underrated athlete.